1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a resist composition. The present invention relates to a resist composition which allows formation of a fine resist pattern by exposing to an ultraviolet radiation, particularly a vacuum ultraviolet radiation (hereinafter, may be referred to as VUV radiation).
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, the wiring has become finer and more multiple-layered with advanced high-integration of semiconductor devices. For the manufacture of the next generation semiconductor devices with advanced high integration, use of VUV radiation has become investigated as a light source for exposure in the lithography technique for fine processing. Particularly, use of a light having a wavelength of 157 nm, which is an F2 excimer laser radiation, in lithography has been investigated.
A problem arises by using such shortening in the wavelength of light source, however, that resist materials proposed for use in lithography using KrF excimer laser radiation or ArF excimer radiation have usually a low transmittance to VUV radiations such as a radiation of 157 nm and do not allow realization of a high resolution.
Since these conventional resist materials have a low transmittance to VUV radiation such as a radiation of 157 nm, they do not transmit sufficiently the light to the bottom when they have a practically used thickness. Therefore, there has been a problem that their use in the process for semiconductor production is difficult because a good pattern can not be formed.
An object of the invention is to solve the problem in the conventional techniques as described above and to provide a resist composition which enables realization of an excellent resolution when a VUV radiation exemplified by an F2 excimer laser light is used.
As the result of extensive studies conducted for solving the above problem, the present inventors have found that the above object can be attained when the transmittance of the photosensitive resin to be used for a light having a wavelength of 157 nm is a specific value or above. They have conducted further studies based on such finding and successfully completed the invention.
The present invention relates to a resist composition containing a photosensitive resin and used for photolithography, wherein said photosensitive resin has a transmittance of 40% or more for a light having a wavelength of 157 nm in applying to a thickness of 0.1 xcexcm.